Gov to Assembly: Extend arbitration salary cap

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie was joined by local mayors and state legislators when he urged the Assembly to extend a 2 percent cap on raises that arbitrators can award to police and firefighters.

Christie made his plea Monday.

The Democrat-led Legislature sent Christie a bill last month allowing raises of up to 3 percent in towns that saved money through layoffs or by passing more pension costs onto emergency workers.

The governor struck those provisions in a conditional veto.

The Senate quickly accepted Christie’s changes, but the Assembly has not voted. Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto says he’s ready to settle the impasse through negotiations.